About the Program
The 5-week hybrid study abroad program (June 1 – July 7, 2022; 3 weeks Abroad: June 3-June 24) to Guadalajara in Jalisco, Mexico will provide pre-and in-service teachers, currently studying in the College of Education and Human Development (COEHD) at UTSA, with an educational and cultural experience intended to expand their worldview and provide them with opportunities to gain professional experience in an international context. The study abroad program will be a life-changing experience that will shift students' perspectives on the opportunities, affordances, and possibilities of bilingual education and teaching English as a second language (ESL) in the United States and Mexico. UTSA faculty will complement the study abroad trip with online instruction via Blackboard. This hybrid study abroad model (online and in-person) allows UTSA faculty to ensure the program benefits students academically, prepares students for the experience, and provides space for critical reflection on the experience at its completion, which are critical elements for a successful study abroad program, particularly for developing multicultural competencies.
In collaboration with our local partners (Thomas Jefferson Institute and the University of Guadalajara) the study abroad trip will combine:
(1) a three-week practicum in a DLE or ESL classroom working with a local mentor teacher in Guadalajara;
(2) 15 hours of Spanish language instruction and practice;
(3) group living;
(4) learning about language teaching theory and methods from UTSA and Mexican University faculty and learning exchanges with Mexican college students; and
(5) excursions to explore the history and cultural and linguistic diversity of Guadalajara.
About Guadalajara, Mexico
Guadalajara is a large urban city in Mexico. It is located approximately 4 hours from the pacific coast and 8 hours west of Mexico City. It is the third-largest city in Mexico and has the second-highest population density. While abroad in Guadalajara, students will have a 3-week practicum at Thomas Jefferson Institute (ITJ; https://www.itj.edu.mx/vallereal/en/inicio/ ), an internationally recognized, dual accredited (ASOMEX and NAESC), premier dual language education (DLE) school in the region. Students will also visit the University of Guadalajara (UDG).
Application
Three-week practicum: The three-week practicum will take place at ITJ where UTSA students will team up with elementary and secondary teachers to teach either ESL (English as a Second Language) or content courses in Spanish (i.e. Spanish language arts and civics) to ITJ students.
Spanish instruction: The 15 hours of proficiency-level appropriate Spanish language instruction and practice will be taught by certified language instructors and take place on the ITJ campus facilities following students' practicum.
Learning exchanges: Faculty lectures and student learning exchange. UTSA students will attend Mexican University faculty lectures at the UDG. UTSA students will have a learning exchange to share ideas about education across contexts and cultures with Mexican University students at the UDG.
Cultural excursions: Each week, students participate in excursions designed to introduce them to the region’s diverse cultural, social, and economic practices. These are a core part of the curriculum and may take up one or two days. Students wishing to travel to other regions of Mexico, or to spend longer at any one place, are encouraged to do so after the program has ended. The health insurance provided by UTSA is good for two weeks before and after the actual program dates.
